


God Is With Us...

by scorpyho



Series: name meaning: "god is with us" [2]
Category: NCIS: New Orleans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:07:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28961445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scorpyho/pseuds/scorpyho
Summary: Same as before, but re-worked with KARA instead of EVA hola
Series: name meaning: "god is with us" [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1990801





	God Is With Us...

She could feel someone staring - following her. Every corner she took, every zig-zag she made, she felt the eyes. But she couldn't see anyone or anything suspicious. Even if she tried to catch them off guard, she never saw anyone. She couldn't outsmart them. As she walked in to work, the eyes remained. Would she have to check security cameras in the neighbourhood to find this person? If there even was a person.

When they arrived at the house, everyone was there. NOPD, FBI, CSI, and NCIS. Why such a big alphabet soup?  
"A lot of people here..."  
"Big case. We got a missing kid, a missing man, and gun shots and blood."  
"A marine?"  
"Nope."  
"Kids of a marine?"  
"Nope."  
"Why were we called in?"  
"Not us, you."  
PRIDE ushers GREGORIO to a room at the back of the apartment. Down a hallway filled with drawings that felt familiar. Like maybe she had seen these drawings before? Arriving in the room, she knew why they had called upon her. There was a wall plastered with photos of GREGORIO. Everywhere. At the doctors, at work, at the park for a Sunday stroll - even her when she was working.  
"Obviously, we've got a concern for your safety and the integrity of the cases you've worked on."  
"Do we know who the apartment belongs to?"  
That's when CARTER chimes in,  
"The apartment belongs to a RAFAEL HERNANDEZ. He's 19, he lives here with a little girl."  
"EMMANUELLA." - It fell out of her mouth before she realised what she was doing.  
"You know them?"  
"Yeah..."  
"Go on..."  
"I knew them back in DC. I grew up with their dad. MIGUEL HERNANDEZ. He's my best friend"  
SEBASTIAN clears his throat, trying to remind her that he is, in fact, her best friend.  
"Right, my best friend not from New Orleans."  
"Do you know why they would have these photos of you?"  
"No idea." She didn't want to admit it, but GREGORIO hadn't kept in great contact with the kids since she moved. A call to RAFAEL every now and then, a video chat with EMMY every so often. In all honesty, she didn't even know they were in New Orleans - she thought they were still in DC.  
"Well you and SEBASTIAN take the room, HANNAH, you talk to the neighbours. We'll look around the rest of the apartment. Hopefully we can find something that leads us to finding them and answering our questions."  
As the rest filed out of the room, GREGORIO was left with an emptiness. A whole that didn't exist before, but suddenly felt like it couldn't ever be filled again.  
SEBASTIAN was making himself at home, looking through all the five year olds toys, getting distracted in the childhood he wishes he still had sometimes.  
"Woah! I had this!" He says, picking up an old school video came console. He opens the wardrobe to reveal an arcade game of Space Invaders, he turns it on - for old times sake. The high score comes up and SEBASTIAN is suddenly in awe of this child. He wanted to meet the person who had beat his high score.  
GREGORIO was lost in the bookshelf. Full of books she had once read to EMMY when she needed to go to sleep, stories she had brought for the then baby and toddler. GREGORIO thought to herself "she can probably read them herself now". Then she came across a book that looked different. It was homemade. The cover was empty, but inside was filled with everyone's names. GREGORIOs, SEBASTIANS, PRIDE's - everyone's. What did this mean? Was the whole team at risk? GREGORIO brought the book to SEBASTIAN for a second opinion.  
"What do you think it means?"  
"I'm not sure."  
"What was your friends kids up to?"

HANNAH was tasked with speaking to the neighbours, getting as much information as they could.  
"Did you know the neighbours who lived here?"  
"Yes, they were lovely. Always helping us with our groceries when we needed it. Very kind."  
"Did you hear anything last night? Something that woke you up?"  
"No. I mean, there was the crying in the afternoon, but that's normal."  
"Normal?" How could a child crying be normal?  
"Yeah, something about the wrong pants or the wrong socks. I can't remember. It was always something was wrong. But he did the best he could. Always got her out on time. I don't know how he did it. Working, studying, and looking after her. He even found a really great team to help her too."  
"Team? Help with what?"  
"Oh, EMMY has autism. And PTSD. She struggles to communicate and so he was going to someone who was helping him to figure out ways to communicate with her. He was good about it too. Never made her talk or anything. He was the one who wanted the help - for himself, to help her."  
He sounded like the perfect brother, and the perfect guardian.  
"Was there anything that happened recently that you think might explain this?"  
"No...oh wait. There was that lady that was looking for EMMY. But I told her they didn't live here. I know about their past and so I didn't want her to know. I told RAFFY about her and he seemed really worried. He asked me to describe her. I thought she might have been the mom out from jail."  
"Can you describe the woman to a sketch artist?"  
"I can try, but we have security cameras on the front entrance. She should be on there."  
"Thank you, if you hear anything, please let me know."  
"Of course".  
HANNAH handed the lady her card and hoped the lady might call and say it was a big mistake and actually the two had come back from a holiday and it was someone else who got hurt in their apartment. Still sad, but a better ending for GREGORIO.

HANNAH joined PRIDE inside and began looking around the house - a lot of organisation and pictures. The fridge had magnets depicting daily activities and tasks - a means of communication if words were scarce. A board near the door showed some images already ready and telling the day ahead. Shoes, jacket, socks, and a backpack. All things needed for a day out, a day at school. But not necessarily taken when abducted.

Back at HQ, the team were getting themselves well informed on the two missing people. They had gathered a lot of information - some they wished they hadn't uncovered.  
"So the two live here by themselves."  
"Where are the parents?"  
"Back in DC doing time for child abuse and endangerment."  
GREGORIO was shocked. She couldn't imagine her best friend hurting the kids. Especially not RAFAEL. He was the first born and a son - prized material in a catholic household.  
"Reports of abuse were filed from 2018-2020, when they finally stopped."  
Images of the abuse appeared on the screen - photos of a burned child, with bruising all over, some x-rays of broken bones....it was too much. GREGORIO turned behind her and threw up into the trash can.  
"I'm gonna..." She points to the door, leaving the team to have their debriefing without her.  
"The mother was charged with abuse of a minor, and the father was charged with endangering a child and failure to report abuse."  
"Could this be them? Are they out of prison yet?"  
"The father is, but he was at his job in DC as of two hours ago."  
"What about the kids? What do they do?"  
"RAFAEL attends Tulane University, he's studying psychology. The girl attends a public school in the city. Actually...it's quite close to where you guys live." HANNAH looks to SEBASTIAN,  
"Well, I don't wanna say it, but how does a young adult afford an apartment in the city when he's looking after his sister and studying full time?" CARTER was always the skeptic, but he had a point. How did he afford it when he was only working part time?  
"I have that answer!" PLAME chimed in.  
"I was going over the record of ownership and he bought it outright."  
"Outright? That can't be correct."  
"It is. If you would let me finish-" PLAME looked at CARTER with impatience and annoyance, this wasn't the first time he had interrupted him and it wouldn't be the last. "-the money was provided by the parents. On a condition of the fathers bail and the mothers shorter sentence. They were to pay for an apartment for the kids."  
"Do they know where it is? Maybe they had someone arrange to kidnap them?"  
"No. Another condition of the deal. They provided the money without knowledge of where the apartment was. The only people who know are the lawyers and if they told, they would lose their jobs and their license." PLAME had done his research. He hated when kids were involved. Especially seeing this one was close to his friend.  
"Was there any abuse against the son? Or was it always to the girl?" How could anyone hurt such a tiny thing - someone so dependent on humans - SEBASTIAN thought to himself.  
"It was just the girl. However, I did think that maybe they had killed their first daughter." The team looked at PLAME with worry. "But she died of cancer a few years after EMMANUELLE was born."

HANNA decided to join GREGORIO outside in the courtyard. She found her at the table crying. Holding a blanket that looked like it belonged to the missing child. Something GREGORIO took from the crime scene.  
"She must been important huh?"  
"She is..." GREGORIO couldn't explain anything yet, but she was important. And she was missing. As much as GREGORIO wanted to have a pity party for herself, there was a child - who had been abused - who was missing. And it was her job to find her.  
"We're going to find her" HANNA reminded her.  
The two walked back into the office, the images were gone from the computer screen but not from GREGORIO's mind.  
"You take the girls school, SEBASTIAN and I will take the boy's university. Hopefully we can find something out then." PRIDE said to GREGORIO and HANNA. They split off into their groups - leaving PLAME and CARTER alone to simmer in the salty air they had made for themselves. Maybe one day they would be friends like he was with GREGORIO, but today was not that day.

At the school, GREGORIO was taken back to her childhood. Wandering school halls with her friends, studying in the library. They walked passed a playground and she could have sworn she saw EMMANUELLE. 'So now I'm seeing things' GREGORIO thought to herself - sure the eyes watching over her earlier in the week were explained by the photos she saw in the apartment. Now she was wondering...The two walked into an empty classroom. All the kids had gone home.  
"Hey, Miss CATHERINE?"  
"Yes, that's me..." CATHERINE was surprised to see two grown adults in her door - she was used to the pint sized kindergarteners she taught. "How can I help you?"  
"My name's HANNAH KHOURY, this is TAMMY GREGORIO, we're with NCIS" they showed their badges to confirm who they were. Making sure to do her due diligence, CATHERINE looked at the badges and matched the faces to the names. She could have sworn GREGORIO looked familiar. "We were wondering if we could talk to you about one of your students - EMMANUELLE HERNANDEZ?"  
"What about her?" Wary of anyone asking about this child, CATHERINE was hesitant to divulge any information - even to law enforcement. EMMANUELLE's brother had long told the school that they were lone souls, and it was just the two of them. Something had scared these kids into fear of being tracked down. How was CATHERINE supposed to know it wasn't by these agents?  
"She's been reported missing."  
"Oh dear..." CATHERINE didn't expect that. "When did that happen?"  
"This morning. Early hours. Did she come to school yesterday?"  
"Yes, she was here. Her brother was late though. He's really good about being here on time, and when he wasn't EMMY got upset."  
GREGORIO had wandered off to the window, looking at the artwork that hung above it off some string. Her eyes went right to the same artwork she had seen all EMMY's life. That same stick figure she taught her to draw.  
"EMMY did that. They had to draw something they were looking forward to. EMMY was excited to meet her mom."  
Meet her mom? GREGORIO and HANNAH didn't understand. Her mom was locked up in DC and the abuse she did to EMMY, why on earth would she want to see her mom?  
"Isn't her mom in prison?" GREGORIO questioned,  
"I thought the same thing. Apparently that's her 'pretend mom'. Her real mom lives somewhere around here I think. And that's her brother" Another stick figure stood on the other side of the child. Everyone was happy.  
"Well, did you see anything suspicious recently?" HANNAH had to ask, making sure to stay on track. If they got lost in the life of a five year old, they might not ever get out. And time was a major factor in finding this child.  
"Not really. There was a lady at the gate one day asking if EMMY was in that day. It wasn't her nanny so I asked for her name. She walked off. I thought it might have been a family friend - or the girls mom."  
"Can you describe the lady to a sketch artist?"  
"I can do one better, I got the footage saved from security. I gave it to RAFFY to see if he knew her. It didn't look like he did."  
"...I'll...go...talk to security then..." HANNAH trailed off, letting GREGORIO know where she was but also giving GREGORIO some time with the teacher that new her best friends kid.  
"You know, she kind of looks like you."  
"Excuse me?"  
"The lady she's drawn." CATHERINE had to clarify, bringing the picture down closer to their view. "She was really excited to meet her mom ya know. I hope you find her soon."  
"Can I...can I take this?" GREGORIO motioned to the picture,  
"Of course! She'll be back to do more in no time."  
GREGORIO liked the enthusiasm and positivity, but she knew the statistics were unlikely.

As the two sat in the car on the way back to the office, the silence was inescapable.  
"How close were you to the family? Did you know the mom wasn't the mom?"  
"Yeah, they had trouble getting pregnant after the sister, so they went to egg donation."  
Silence fell back into the car, worry filled both of their minds - no one knowing what the day would bring and if they would ever find this girl - let alone alive. 

The team were back in the office, talking about who this mysterious woman could have been. Just as they start gathering hypotheses, PLAME comes in with the security footage from the school and the apartment complex.  
"You're not going to believe who it is!" PLAME was scared, worried, and astounded.  
He played the footage for the team, they watched as the person came into focus and her face turned to meet with the camera - Claire McDermott. The team hadn't seen or heard of her since they arrested her after she kidnapped GREGORIO. She was supposed to be in federal prison...not on the street of New Orleans, and especially not the prime suspect in the kidnapping of RAFAEL and EMMANUEL.

HANNAH and CARTER were on their way to the federal prison CLAIRE was supposed to be staying at. After a phone call with the head officer, they found out she had escaped. How that happened was exactly what the two were going to find out.  
"She complained of severe stomach pain. We took her to the infirmary, and the next day she was gone. She killed one of our guards and took their uniform. Walked right out of the front gate."  
HANNAH needed to know if there was any prior thought to this. How did she know EMMANUELLE was even connected to GREGORIO?  
"After she escaped, we went over her internet history. She had done a lot of searching of an AGENT GREGORIO, and also a MIGUEL and SARAH HERNANDEZ. Is that related to your case?"  
The two needed to get back. They knew it was related. CLAIRE took those kids.

Back at HQ the team went over why CLAIRE would target EMMANUELLE and her brother. What good would that do? SEBASTIAN came up on the screen.  
"The DNA on the hair belongs to Jack Hanover. He was in prison with CLAIRE and got out a few weeks before she escaped. He was on her visitor logs too."  
So she got the help of prison friends to get the job done, but why? No one knew why.  
"It's because of me." GREGORIO felt a pit in her stomach. "She did it to get back at me."  
"But why take EMMY and RAFAEL?" PRIDE asked. The whole team waiting on an answer...  
"I was really close to them in DC. They're the only real family. I mean my mom, but I care more about EMMY. And somehow she knew that."

GREGORIO was up late trying to find a reason for all of this. Why would Claire have come after EMMY? Was RAFFY with EMMY? GREGORIO liked that idea, as much as she hated she wasn't there with them, at least she knew EMMY was in good hands and would feel almost safe. The thought was interrupted by the question of what CLAIRE would do to the two of them.  
"Have you even go to sleep?" KARA had appeared at the doorway, giving GREGORIO a fright.  
"No. It's uh. This case..."  
KARA knew GREGORIO was dedicated to her work, but seeing the paper sprawled out in front of her girlfriend felt different. She picked up a photo of a little girl.  
"This you?"  
How could GREGORIO answer this. She liked to keep work and home separate. But this was going to be hard.  
"No, it's my neice...well my friends daughter."  
"Is she missing?"  
"Yeah."  
KARA knew GREGORIO was going to engulf herself more than ever. As loyal as she had been to KARA, she would be more so to a long time friend. KARA kept going through things, maybe she would help, maybe she would hinder. But she tried either way. She came across the picture EMMY drew. She noticed it looked like GREGORIO...  
"Is this you?"  
GREGORIO had to walk carefully. Was there anything on that paper that would give something away? KARA sat closer to GREGORIO, she asked her something GREGORIO never thought she would - something all five detectives she worked with missed.  
"Is she more than your niece?"  
GREGORIO knew it would make or break their relationship. She wanted to say no. Keep things the way they had been all this time, but she also knew if things did persist, the truth was better than a lie.  
"Sort of. She's my eggs."  
Silence fell again. Something GREGORIO was getting used to on this case. Make or break.  
"Well she looks a lot like you. Were you this cute?"  
GREGORIO laughed. Something she hadn't done since this started. KARA was good like that, bringing her back to reality - a reality that had happiness and goodness.  
"Not quite. She's definitely cuter."  
"Well I would love to meet her...you know..."  
KARA trailed off, forgetting that a missing child didn't always end in a found child.  
"I'm sorry. I mean..."  
"It's okay. I'm going to get her back."  
KARA kissed GREGORIO on the forehead and went back to bed. While she loved her girlfriend and would do anything for her, she had work herself in the morning and needed to go to sleep. And it wasn't like KARA was able to help - she wasn't trained and she would be far too emotional to get invested.

As the sun rose in the early morning, GREGORIO was still trying to find information. She had got somewhere when SEBASTIAN entered the room.  
"Where you up all night?"  
"I got it."  
"Got what?"  
"Something. Come on."  
While GREGORIO was still in her clothes from the day before, SEBASTIAN was in his pyjamas. He figured breakfast was off the table. He had to get changed and go.  
GREGORIO had a book with her in the car, and was directing SEBASTIAN to different places. As SEBASTIAN drove he couldn't help but think how similar this all was to the time GREGORIO got abducted before. But somehow this felt worse.  
"We're going to find her TAMMY."  
Silence. SEBASTIAN knew it wasn't true. They might find her, but they could just as easily not. Or they could find her and it be too late. He should've just stayed quiet.  
They arrived at a small park that matched the same one in the book GREGORIO had. A book filled with places, with written commentary from RAFAEL. Things like 'favourite place for dogs', 'best ice cream', 'loves the water fountain'...And of course, a photo of GREGORIO's work, 'your work!'. The photo was different, it had EMMY in front of it. Like a tourist in New Orleans.  
They got out, and SEBASTIAN wondered why they were even there. It was a park, and it was open. People would see. GREGORIO stood in the sun, staring at the playground, imagining EMMY playing among all the things. Knowing the slide and monkey bars were her favourite. But nothing yielded. So in the car they went. It was 9am, and although they should be at work, they were still running down places. They went to the ice cream place in the book, hoping to find something they hadn't yet.  
"Do you know an EMANUELLA?" GREGORIO handed over her phone with the photo of EMMY on it.  
"Yeah! EMMY. She comes here every other day. She wasn't here yesterday though. Is she okay?"  
"She's missing." SEBASTIAN filled in the silence as GREGORIO struggled to actually say the words.  
"Oh...what about her brother?"  
"Him too."  
GREGORIO looked at the flavours, trying to imagine what one EMMY would have. She didn't have to look far. Watermelon sorbet. EMMY's favourite.  
"Will you let us know if you hear anything?" SEBASTIAN tried to offer hope to GREGORIO but knew he was falling short.

They got back in the car. Headed to work as they had gone to all the places in the book. On the way GREGORIO's phone rang. It was RAFFY's number.  
"Hello," GREGORIO answered, hoping it would be RAFFY and it was all a mistake - he had taken EMMY away for the week on holiday. She put it on speaker phone.  
"Tammy Tammy Tammy. Look what you've done." The voice was all too familiar.  
"Just let them go. You can have me. Let them go."  
SEBASTIAN knew it was CLAIRE, he didn't know what to do so he kept driving. If anyone would help it was the people they worked with.  
"Now now, what good is that? How can I teach you a lesson if you don't suffer?"  
"Please..." GREGORIO would have given her life for that kid.  
"No no. First you have to tell them who she really is. Let the pain of the secret go."  
"Let me talk to them. Let me talk to EMMY."  
"No. Truth first."  
And just like that she was gone. No proof that she even had the kids and EVA or that they were alive. Not until a few seconds later. Two images sent to her phone. She opened them right away but as soon as she did, she regretted it. RAFFY and EMMY were taken. Bound and gagged.  
Silence again filled the car. It was getting far too familiar for GREGORIO. They were almost at work.  
"What did she mean about telling the truth?" SEBASTIAN asked his best friend - a secret that he didn't know?  
GREGORIO didn't answer. He thought maybe she hadn't heard him. But she had, she just had no idea how to explain the situation to her best friend.  
"What's the truth T?" SEBASTIAN tried again.  
"She's my daughter".  
The silence that filled the room filled the pit in GREGORIO's stomach. What did he think of her? Did he want her off the case? Did he think less of her? Does he blame her the way she blames herself? He finally spoke,  
"I mean...okay."  
"Okay? That's all you have to say?"  
"What do you want me to say? You dropped a pretty big bomb on me."  
"I didn't plan on it."  
"We have to tell the team."  
GREGORIO knew he was right, but she didn't want to be the one to tell them. But she didn't want anyone else to tell them either.

The team gathered in the office, no one had rested well and everyone was eager to get back and help out. Their faces a mix of still sleepy, wrinkled with papers they had fallen asleep on in the kitchen, and worry.  
The images that had haunted GREGORIO just a few moments ago, were now on the screen for everyone to see.  
"Her lips are blue, it doesn't look good..." HANNAH said just loud enough for PRIDE to hear beside her, but not loud enough for GREGORIO to know her worry.  
"What did she say?" PRIDE asked, unaware of what he was about to be told. Even a PRIDE-deep background check hadn't revealed this.  
"She told me it was my fault and I had to tell you the truth."  
"What truth?" CARTER asked, sipping a coffee to keep him awake - and to make him more bearable for everyone else.  
"I'm EMMY's biological mother," GREGORIO didn't look at the team, "I'm the one who donated my eggs to SARAH."  
There was silence in the room, before another phone call. Again, RAFFY. Again, CLAIRE.  
"Tammy, did you tell your team?"  
"Yes, I did. Let them go."  
"You know that's not how this works." The screams of a small child heard from the background.  
GREGORIO tried hard not to cry, "Please. Stop. What do you want?"  
"What do I want? I want you to go back in time. Maybe if you hadn't left DC for your job in NCIS, maybe poor EMMY wouldn't have had to go through all that suffering. How could you prioritise her over your work TAMMY? All those nights she left home trying to find you? Remember that? Did you think she stopped just because you came to New Orleans? How could you let her be hurt and scared and alone..."  
"I didn't know. I didn't know she was being hurt."  
Again, the screams travelled through the phone.  
"Don't worry, I'll rid her of her pain."  
And that was it. She was gone. But unknown to CLAIRE, she had reminded GREGORIO of a secret that was going to tell them exactly where they were.  
GREGORIO turned to PLAME, "I know where they are, I need your help."  
"Okay?" How could he help, he wondered.  
"EMMY used to run away all the time in DC, trying to come see me. So I bought her a GPS watch. It goes on her arm and it looks just like a normal watch. And she still has it in the photos here. You can track it. I have the app. But there's a problem." GREGORIO hoped it wasn't a problem for PLAME, "it only works in a certain radius so if they're too far away it won't show...  
"On it!" PLAME grabbed GREGORIO's phone and hooked it up to a GPS device that allowed the signal to go all over Louisiana. And a single dot popped up.  
"There!" HANNAH was the first to spot it.  
"All right, lets go." PRIDE beckoned the team to follow him. They loaded up, ready to go to war. No criminal need survive. "Now, I'm not having you going all cowboy out there okay?" PRIDE said to GREGORIO before they left, unsure if he could truly trust her to keep a level head.  
"I'll be fine." GREGORIO lied.  
The car ride felt like it took two hours, but it only took ten minutes. They arrived at an abandoned navy base - how fitting - and followed the GPS signal on their phones. They made their way closer and closer to the dot on their screens. 

SEBASTIAN and PRIDE entered into a cold, damp, pillared room. No one was there, but there was evidence of someone. Cigarette butts and fast food. But no EMMY or RAFFY.  
HANNAH, GREGORIO, and CARTER enter another area, much the same as the first. They find RAFFY, he has tape over his mouth.  
"She went out there!" He tells them, nodding outside. As CARTER and GREGORIO start chasing down CLAIRE, HANNAH stays with RAFFY to help him and keep him safe.  
"Is there anyone else here?" HANNAH asked  
"No, there was. But she shot them. Right in front of EMMY." RAFFY tries not to cry but it's too much. The thought of his little sister all alone watching them die, while being hurt herself. He could hear her crying out for him, for TAMMY, but no one came. And that broke his heart.  
CARTER and GREGORIO find the car and see CLAIRE get in, they hear the engine start. GREGORIO runs to the door and yanks out CLAIRE, no care for any injuries she receives from the concrete ground below. Without missing a second, she starts to beat her profusely. Getting out all her anger from the past few years.

SEBASTIAN and PRIDE enter a room, where a small body lays. She's unconscious and has a weak pulse. SEBASTIAN starts performing CPR, hoping to god he doesn't lose her. How would GREGORIO ever forgive him? HANNAH and RAFFY have joined them now, with HANNAH then running out to get GREGORIO. She finds GREGORIO on the ground, on top of CLAIRE, with CARTER standing to the side.  
"GREGORIO! TAMMY!" HANNAH tried to catch her attention, "We've found her. She needs you TAMMY!"  
It's enough to get her to stop. She gets up, leaving a severely beaten CLAIRE to CARTER's devices. As GREGORIO turns her back, CLAIRE crawls to the car. Reaching for the seat, *BANG* *BANG*, the gunshots echo in the abandoned building. CARTER shot CLAIRE in the head. There's no coming back from that. 'Now she won't be able to hurt anyone else' CARTER thought to himself.  
The gunshots weren't enough to stop GREGORIO, she ran in to find SEBASTIAN breathing into her child's mouth. GREGORIO ran up to her and held her hand. She begged for anyone who was listening - God, a saint, a ghost - to help. 'Just hold on' GREGORIO thought.  
The EMT's had finally arrived, they didn't have the luxury of speeding quite the way the NCIS team did. They took over from SEBASTIAN and began pumping oxygen into the tiny body on the ground. After a few seconds, she coughed. And she kept coughing. As soon as she was alert enough, she began fighting the mask on her face.  
"No, it's okay. EM, it's okay. It's to help you breathe. It's okay. I'm here. I'm right here"  
And it was the first time GREGORIO had really been able to look at her in the eye. And the fear she saw broke her heart, she couldn't help but cry.

GREGORIO was stuck in the hospital bed with EMMY. She wasn't allowed to go anywhere. Not by doctors orders, but by EMMY. She was stuck to GREGORIO like glue. She hadn't been able to go to the bathroom without EMMY right there. But she understood. And she felt lucky, to know she was safe for EMMY was an accomplishment.  
KARA appeared at the door. GREGORIO had asked her to come - she had told EMMY about KARA, but there wasn't much perception. Maybe if she saw her with her own eyes something would click.  
"Hi." KARA - who is very outgoing and loud, was suddenly timid and shy.  
"EMMY, this is KARA. She's the one I was telling you about."  
EMMY's eyes didn't leave her game. Not noticing if someone had come, but trusting that GREGORIO would keep her safe.  
"Hi EMMY." KARA tried to get the five year olds attention but it wasn't happening. KARA looked worried, did EMMY hate her?  
"It's okay. She's just playing her game."  
"What game?"  
"Space invaders. RAFFY got her hooked into all the classics."  
"I love space invaders!"  
And at that, EMMY gave KARA her game. Without words, saying: you can play it, i trust you. Although, it was a half trust, she still had GREGORIO there between the two to keep her safe. But it was something. And it made KARA feel like maybe EMMY didn't hate her.  
Just as KARA started playing, someone appeared at the door.  
"I can come back if you're busy..." SEBASTIAN hovered at the door, hoping he wouldn't be asked to come back. He only had so much nerve to ask what he needed and if he had to wait any longer he may never ask. And then he would just worry.  
"It's okay, I'll see you later?" KARA asked, while handing EMMY back her game, "Thank you."  
SEBASTIAN took KARA's place on a seat next to the bed.  
"Look, I know a lots happened and you're busy and probably overwhelmed, but I just need to ask and know. Okay?"  
GREGORIO was worried, was her best friend kicking her out?  
"Is she going back to RAFFY?"  
"No, I told him he needed to focus on his school work. Get his degree, be a kid for once."  
"And what about KARA? She's okay with it all?"  
"I mean she's not gonna dump me right now, but we'll see what happens"  
"Does that mean...she's staying with you..." SEBASTIAN motions to EMMY sat in the bed.  
"Yeah, it does..." GREGORIO was ready for him to kick her out now. After all, a child wasn't on the rent agreement.  
"Does it mean you're going to leave NCIS?" SEBASTIAN asked, just as worried as GREGORIO was.  
"No. I love what we do. I love our work. I might need a few weeks to get sorted. But no."  
"And what about a house? Are you going to find a new one?"  
GREGORIO hesitated, "I was hoping I could continue to live with you..."  
"Of course!" SEBASTIAN was elated. He didn't want to lose his best friend and roommate. "I don't have any rooms set up for a kid though..."  
"It's okay," GREGORIO assured him, nodding to where EMMY had a tight grip of her shirt, "I don't think she's going to want to sleep in her own room for a bit."  
After all SEBASTIAN's worries were eased, the calmness filled the room. Then more worry set in.  
"What if she doesn't like me?"  
"Are you kidding me?" GREGORIO couldn't believe the question. "You saw her room. Space, dinosaurs, and arcade games. You're two peas in a pod."  
SEBASTIAN smiled at the knowledge that GREGORIO trusted he would get along with EMMY fine, and that not only did he get to keep his best friend, he gained another roommate.

CARTER was waiting in the office with HANNAH. The two worried about what was going to come of PRIDE's conversation with the district attorney.  
"Okay, thank you. You too. Bye." PRIDE ended the call and made his way into the office. Staring at the two, "CARTER, a word."  
Surely this wasn't good, CARTER thought. He tried to think of other ideas for a career. Knowing he would still do the same thing if he knew the outcome.  
"Upon review, we didn't find any gun in the car." PRIDE had to break the news to CARTER, that the investigation was over. Was he cleared? "Considering the events, and the fear they believe you felt, they've decided not to press charges."  
CARTER takes a sigh of relief.  
"I do need to know," PRIDE continues, "Why you shot her. I can't have a gun-wild agent on my team."  
"You saw the photo. You heard her crying. I saw GREGORIO's file too. This lady wasn't going to stop. I know I'm not a judge, jury, or executioner - and boy do I know how it is to have a cop fire willy-nilly because they're 'scared', but I just couldn't let that happen. This is a kid who went through hell, and she knew that. And she didn't care."  
"Okay. Well, how about you take a few days. Go have a social life. Explore the city. Come back refreshed."  
"Thank you sir." CARTER was glad his punishment was to get a few days off. A few days to think. He knew EMMY's punishment would be longer and much worse. He didn't know how she could still laugh and smile after everything she had been through, but he knew, with as little information as he had, that was definitely her mother showing in her. Resilient and brave as can be.

CARTER joined the team at the hospital for pizza. As he walked in the room was loud and full of life. And in the corner was a small girl, wearing headphones, on an iPad. Disinterested in the social gathering before her. He quite liked her - she enjoyed her own company much like he did, but wanted to be apart of the fun even if she wasn't involved in it. The room filled with laughter and stories and good times. The nurses came by for their own slices of pizza as they checked in to make sure EMMY was okay. And it was then that GREGORIO realised how lucky she was. She would never ever be alone again.


End file.
